Meaning & History
Meyer 3 is an English surname, originally a variant of Mayer 3. Like Mayer, it is an occupational name meaning 'mayor,' derived from Middle English mair, via Old French from Latin maior.
Etymology
The name originates from the feudal office of mayor, a title for a chief municipal or manorial official. In medieval England, the mayor was a prominent community leader, and the surname would have been given either to someone who held the office or to a servant of a mayor.
Distribution
According to Forebears, this specific variant—Meyer 3—is particularly associated with English-speaking countries, where it occasionally overlaps with German Jewish or Dutch forms.
Related Forms
Variants include Meyers (English patronymic) and Myers. Equivalents in other languages include Dutch Meijer, French Lemaire, and German Maier 1, Mayer 1, Meier 1, and Meyer 1.
- Meaning: mayor
- Origin: English
- Type: occupational surname
Related Names
Sources: Forebears — meyer-3